ParisLongchamp

Completing a treble of shocks on Sunday's ParisLongchamp card, Alain Jathiere and Christine Guilbert's Birthe (Ire) (Study Of Man {Ire}--Barakaat {Fr}, by Lope De Vega {Ire}) belied odds of 11-1 when upstaging her peers to take the G2 St Mark's Basilica Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary. Coming off a win in Toulouse's Listed Prix Caravelle last month, the Laura Vanska trainee who cost a mere €10,000 at the Goffs Autumn Yearling Sale was settled on the rail early by Aurelien Lemaitre tracking the leading duo. Sent up the cutaway to take over...

Scheduled 40 minutes after the fillies' Classic, Sunday's G1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains offered a dramatic contrast with a heavy downpour greatly affecting the aesthetics at ParisLongchamp and to an extent the ground also. In the event, the race was off 40 minutes de retard due to the thunderstorm before Metropolitan (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}--Alianza {GB}, by Halling) provided another surprise result on the afternoon by overcoming higher-profile peers at 24-1. Unbeaten in two juvenile starts before finishing fifth in the course-and-distance G3 Prix de Fontainebleau last month, the Mario...

With dark clouds looming as the field was loaded for Sunday's G1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, the inevitable thunderstorm has caused a delay to Sunday's card at ParisLongchamp. The €650,000 G1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains will now have a post time of 17.05 with subsequent races, including the newly downgraded G2 St Mark's Basilica Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary, following at 30-minute intervals.

Before the storm, the finish to Sunday's G1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Pouliches had a true 80s throwback feel to it, with the world-famous Aga Khan and Sangster silks involved at the death of the ParisLongchamp Classic. When the photo was taken, it was the former's distinguished livery that was in front sported by the 31-1 outsider Rouhiya (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}--Rondonia {Ire}, by Raven's Pass), with the 45-1 shot Kathmandu (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) failing by a head to bring the Sangster colours back into the winner's spot after...

After the disappointment of City Of Troy last Saturday, it is up to Ballydoyle's fellow TDN Rising Star Henry Longfellow (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) to seek to redress the balance in Sunday's Emirates-sponsored G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains at ParisLongchamp. While the stable's 3-year-olds seem to be gradually creeping into gear with every passing day, there is the sense that they are more than a little rusty as they reappear from winter quarters and the son of Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) will have to be near a peak to navigate what...

Sunday's swathe of European stakes action is headlined by ParisLongchamp's Emirates-sponsored G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains. Both Classics have attracted double-figure fields with 15 distaffers set for the Pouliches and a baker's dozen declared for the colts' equivalent. Godolphin's G3 Prix Imprudence victrix Romantic Style (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), drawn out wide in 14, heads a six-strong overseas challenge in the €550,000 Pouliches. She will be joined by G1 Moyglare Stud S. runner-up Vespertilio (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) and GI Breeders' Cup...

One of the outsiders for Sunday's G1 Prix Ganay at ParisLongchamp, Odette Fau's Haya Zark (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) proved toughest where it mattered to up his level a notch and register a career-best at 19-1. Last seen recording back-to-back wins in Saint-Cloud's G3 Prix Exbury in March, the homebred who had also garnered this track's 12-furlong G3 Prix d'Hedouville last May was kept close to the early pace by Alexis Pouchin before being launched passing two out. Game and genuine to the line, the Adrien Fouassier-trained 5-year-old got there a...

Nominations for the €1.2-million Arqana Series, now in its second year, are now open until June 1, the sales company announced on Thursday. Consisting of five races reserved for foals offered at the 2022 Arqana Vente d'Elevage and 2-year-olds sold at the Arqana May Breeze-Up Sale, the series features four races for 2-year-olds and one for 3-year-olds. A trio of juvenile races and the 3-year-old race will take place at Deauville on Aug. 15. The final 2024 Arqana Series race will be held at ParisLongchamp on Arc Weekend, Oct. 5....

It is 16 years since The Aga Khan enjoyed the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches-G1 Prix de Diane double with Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar) and there was a genuine sense at ParisLongchamp on Sunday that he has a live prospect for a repeat. While the afternoon's G3 Prix de la Grotte winner Candala (Fr) (Frankel {GB}--Candarliya {Fr}, by Dalakhani {Ire}) can not yet be placed in the same bracket as that former luminary, the manner of her re-entry suggests that she is going to be one of the season's leading lights...

Francis-Henri Graffard trainee Calandagan (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}--Calayana {Fr}, by Sinndar {Ire}) finished 3-4-of-a-length behind Bright Picture (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) in Saint-Cloud's Listed Prix Francois Mathet last month and exacted revenge on that rival in Sunday's G3 Prix Noailles at ParisLongchamp. The Aga Khan's homebred gelding was out twice as a 2-year-old, following up an Aug. 12 debut third at Deauville with a facile 10-length tally at Chantilly in October. Calandagan tucked in at the tail of the field after breaking from the outside stall and was urged closer once into...

Completing the first part of trainer Gavin Hernon's masterplan, Dun Shing Lee's Dare To Dream (Fr) (Camelot {GB}--Debutante {Fr}, by Gold Away {Ire}) made her foray to ParisLongchamp a successful one on Sunday as she captured the G3 Prix Vanteaux. Third behind Ballydoyle's Content (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and the same afternoon's Leopardstown group 3 runner-up Kitty Rose (GB) (Invincible Army {Ire}) in The Curragh's G3 Staffordstown Stud S. when last sighted in October, the 9-1 shot was held up in rear early by Alexis Pouchin. Delivered wide with a surge...

Demonstrating a precocity that belies his title, the Wertheimers' Atlast (Fr) (Farhh {GB}--Pitamore, by More Than Ready) mastered more experienced rivals in Sunday's G3 Prix la Force at ParisLongchamp to exit to the sound of Classic talk. Coming into the nine-furlong test with two juvenile runs at Chantilly to his name and one win over 7 1/2 furlongs on the Polytrack in October, the 11-2 shot was content to track the leaders under Maxime Guyon throughout the early stages. Sweeping to the front with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining, the Christophe...